Feeding mechanism for sewing machines



June 21, 1932. F. F. ZEIER 1,864,390

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed March8, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet l June 21, 1932. F. F. ZEIER 1,864,390

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed March 8, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 21, 1932.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed March 8, 1928- 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 i I 64 44+ &5: J9

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FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES June 21, 1932. F. F. ZEIER I 1,864,390

7 FEED ING MECHANISM FDR SEW ING MACHINES Filed March 8, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 June 21, 1932. i ZElER FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed March 8, 1928 s Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented June 21, 1932 res PATENT OFFICE FREDERICK F. ZEIER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T UNION SPECIAL MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Application filed March 8,

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in feeding mechanisms for sewing machines, and more particularly a four motion feeding mechanism for a feedoff-the-arm sewing machine.

An object of the invention is to provide a feeding mechanism of the above type which includes an upper feed dog and positive means for moving said upper feed dog back and forth whereby said feed dog is continuously under control in its feeding movements.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above type wherein the upper feed dog and the immediate parts which actuate the same and also the needle and the immediate parts which support and actuate the needle are all mounted on a detachable head as a unit so that the parts may be assembled thereon and the head attached 2 or removed from the frame of the machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide a feeding mechanism of the above type wherein the feed dog is raised and lowered by a triple link construction which is not only positive but quick in its lifting movements.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention Figure 1 is a side view of a machine embodying the improvements taken from the rear face of the needle head;

Fig. 2 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section of the upper portion of the machine shown in Fig. 1, the view being A taken at right angles to a vertical plane containing the longitudinal axis of the main actuating shaft;

Fig. 3 is a side view parallel with the line of feed from the opposite side of the needle head with the cover plate removed and parts broken away to show the structure of the upper feeding mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a top plan View of a portion of the machine;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view through the needle 1928. Serial No. 260,041.

head in a plane at right angles with the line of feed;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 4:;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a view from the rear on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 9 is a front view of the presser foot and upper feed dog, and

Fig. 10 is a view partly in plan and partly in section of the presser foot.

The invention is directed to a feeding mechanism for sewing machines, and more particularly to a sewing machine of the type wherein the material being stitched is fed off from the end of a suspended work supporting arm. The type of machine to which the invention is shown applied is clearly set forth in the application filed by Norman V. Christensen and Walter M. Hanneman, August 19, 1926, Serial No. 130,194. The machine includes a supporting base having an overhanging bracket frame in which the main shaft is mounted. Depending from the frame at one end of the actuating shaft is a member which supports a cylindrical work supporting arm. Projecting laterally from the frame adjacent the other end of the shaft is a housing carrying at its outer end a needle head in which the needle bar reciprocates. The needle bar is provided with a needle or plurality of needles depending upon the character of the stitching desired. This needle head is made so that it may be disconnected from the housing with the needle bar and the immediate actuated parts associated therewith assembled in the detachable head. The material is fed off from the end of the arm by a feedin mechanism including an upper and lower eed dog. These feed dogs each have four motions imparted thereto. The invention in the present case is in the means which supports and operates the upper feed dog. The upper feeddog is carried by a bar which is pivotally supported at its upper end so that the bar may swing in a vertical plane and impart back and forth feeding movements to the feed dog thereby. This feed bar is actuated by a link connected to a rock shaft and the rock shaft is, in turn, actuated by a lever cooperating with an eccentric on the main actuating shaft. This makes a positive train of mechanism which will not only impart back and forth movements to the upper feed dog but which will control the movements so that at all times the upper feed dog is under positive control of the operating mechanism therefor. The feed dog is raised and lowered by a triple link construction. There is a link pivoted to the upper feed bar, a link pivoted to the presscr bar, and an intermediate link connecting these two links which is provided with an arm extending laterally therefrom, and this arm is connected to a rock lever which, in turn, is connected to the shaft carrying the lever actuating the needle bar. The intermediate link ismoved bodily and is rocked and this brings about a double toggle action which insures that the feed bar and presser bar will be quickly lifted in turn from the material and lowered onto the material.

Referring more in detail to the drawings: The machine to which the invention is applied consists of a supporting base 1 carrying an overhanging bracket 2 at the upper outer end of which is a supporting housing 3. Disposed in this housing?) is a main actuating shaft l which is providedwith a belt wheel 5 and ahand wheel 6. Depending from this housing 3 is a member 7 which carries a cylindrical work supporting arm 8 at its lower end. This work supporting arm 8 is located in a vertical plane cutting a vertical plane containing the axis of the main actuating shaft. at an acute angle and the free end of the arm extends outwardly away from the shaft.

Also mounted on the housing 3 is a laterally projecting housing 9 which carries a needle head 10 at its outer end. The needle head 10 i'sgdetachably secured to the main portion of the laterally projecting housing which is formed integral with the frame of the machine. Mounted in this detachable needle head is a needle bar 11 which carries the usual needles. This needle bar is reciprocated by a lever 12'fixed to a-shaft 13. The shaft 13is journaled in suitable bearings in the frame and projects outside of the frame at the rear face of the machine. The lever is connected by a link 1% with crank 15 on the main actuating shaft 4.

Located in the cylindrical work supporting arm 8 is the complemental stitch forming mechanism which cooperates with the needles. Also located in the cylindrical work supporting arm is a feed dog of the usual four motion type. The lower feed dog and the complemental stitch forming mechanism are both actuated from; devices extending along the cylindrical arm and up through the depending member where they cooperate with actuating eccentric members on the main shaft 4:.

Cooperating with the lower feed dog is an upper feed dog 17. This upper feed dog 17 is also of the four motion type. Associated with the feed dogs is a presser foot 18. The presser foot 18 is carried by a presser bar 19 which is mounted in the detachable head carrying the needle bar. Said foot has a channel 18 in its under face for guiding inter folded fabric sections for felling and a central cut away portion 18 for the upper feed dog. The feed dog 17 is carried by a feed bar 20. This feed bar 20 is pivoted at 21 to a collar 22 which is mounted on the presser bar and slides freely up and down thereon. The feed bar 20 is adapted to oscillate on its pivot 21 and slides freely between the wall 24 carried by the needle head and the guiding plate 23 attached to the needle head. Said guide plate is attached to the needle head by screws 25, 25 (see Fig. The parts are all enclosed by a cover plate 26.

The feed bar 20 is oscillated for giving feed movements to the upper feed dog by means of a link 27 which is attached to a ball stud 28 carried by the feed bar. This link is connected at its other end to a ball stud 29 mounted on an arm 80 carried by a sleeve 40. The sleeve 40 is, in turn, mounted on a shaft 41 and is preferably attached thereto. Said shaft is journalled in suitable spaced brackets 42 and 43. Attached to this sleeve 4.0 is an arm 44. carrying a ball stud 45. A link 46 cooperates with this ball stud and is connected to a ball stud l? mounted on an arm 48. The arm 48 is rigidly attached to a shaft 49 mounted in suitable bearings in the head of the machine. This shaft 49 extends in a direction substantially parallel with the axis of the main shaft l. On the main shaft 4 is an eccentric 50. A lever 51 fulcrumed at 52 is provided with a forked end which straddles the eccentric 50. The forked end of the lever is cut at 53 so that through the aid of, a bolt 54 the arms of the fork may be held in proper continuous engagement with the eccentric 50. The shaft 49 carries a second arm shaft. Notwithstanding this angular arrangement of the main shaft to the back and forth movements of the feed bar, the train of mechanism described accomplishes these back and forth movements without any torsion or strain on the actuated parts. This is brought about through the fact that the lever operated by the main actuating shaft actuates a rock shaft, the axis of which is parallel with the axis of the main shaft. This actuating shaft in turn actuates a shaft the axis of which is vertical. This is the shaft which carries the sleeve which, in turn, is connected to the feed bar for oscillating the same. Through the use of two shafts the axis of one of which is horizontal and parallel with the axis of the main shaft and the axis of the other of which is vertical and parallel with the plane of movement of the feed bar the actuation of the parts is accomplished at a very high speed and still with little or no torsion or strain as noted.

Furthermore, it may be noted that the feed dog is moved back and forth by a connected train of links and rocking shafts from an eccentric which positively oscillates the lever in this train of mechanism. Thus, it is that the feed dog is positively controlled in its movements. In a machine of the type described where the material is fed off from the end of the arm, there are times when the weight of the material pulls heavy thereon. The material is either clamped by the presser bar or the upper feed dog against the throat plate or lower feed dog and if these parts are positively controlled in their movementsthen the holding and feeding of the fabric will be positively controlled. means which moves this upper feed dog back and forth is a positively connected train of devices and these devices restrain the feeding movements of the feed dog.

The feed dog is raised and lowered by means of a link 59 which is pivoted to the.

collar 2:2. This link 59 is. in turn, pivoted to an intermediate link 60 which is pivoted to a link 61. The link 61 is pivoted at 62 to a collar 63 fixed to the presser bar 19. The links 59 and 60 are connected by the pivot 64 and the links 60 and 61 are connected by the pivot 65. These three links make up in a sense a double toggle acting device. The link 60 is provided with a laterally extending arm 66. This arm 66 is pivoted at 67 to a member 68 carried by a shaft 69. The shaft 69 at its other end carries an arm provided with a ball stud 70. A link 71 cooperates with this ball stud and with a ball stud 72 carried by an arm 73 which is attached to the shaft 13. This arm 73 is slotted so that the ball stud 72 can be adjusted radially of the shaft 13 for the purpose of varying the amount of movement imparted to the shaft 69. The point of pivotal connection between the member 68 and the arm 66 moves about the axis of the shaft a center and from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 to the position shown in broken lines. As the arm 68 is moved bodily carrying with it the link 60, the link 60 will be given a slight angular movement due to the upward movement of the pivotal connection between said arm 66 and the member 68. When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 3 the presser foot is in engagement with the material and the In other words, the,

feed dog is lifted from the material and on its return stroke. As the shaft 69 oscillates in a clockwise direction as viewed in this figure the arm 66 and link 60 will move bodily to the left and will also swing to a slight extent in a clockwise direction. The first movement imparted is a downward movement to the feed dog until it engages the material. The combined bodily and swinging movement of the link 60 will cause the feed dog to quickly descend and engage the material after which a further moveof the link will raise the presser foot and this rise occurs quickly. In other words this triple link construction insures that either the presser foot or the feed dog will be continuously in engagement with the material and holding the same either against movement or for a movement to the extent only of the movement of the feed dog.

From the above construction it will be apparent that I have provided a feeding mechanism for feeding material off from the end of a. suspended work supporting arm wherein the upper feed dog is under positive control at all times and through this positive control of the upper feed dog and also the positive control of the up and down movements of the feed dog and presser bar I am able to maintain complete control of the material even when the weight of the material off from the arm exerts a pulling strain thereon, It will also be noted that all the immediate actuated parts for the upper feeding mechanism are mounted on the detachable head so that the head may be taken off as a unit or the parts assembled therein .and subsequently attached to the frame of the machine. While my improved feeding mechanism is especially adapted for the type of machine shown it is also adapted for other uses as the structure is simple, the connections are positive and the feeding mechanism may be actuated at a very high speed. It is also obvious that minor changes in the details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit'of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A feeding mechanism for feeding material along the work supporting arm of a sewing machine and off from the end thereof as it is stitched, including a main. shaft, an upper feed dog, a feed bar supporting said upper feed dog, means for raising and lowering the feed dog. an eccentric on the main shaft, a lever oscillated thereby, a rock shaft having its axis parallel with the axis of the main shaft and connected to said lever, a second rock shaft having its axis at right angles to the axis of the first named rock shaft, and

connected thereto for oscillatiomanda link for connecting said second rock shaft to the feed bar.

2. A sewing machine having a supporting frame, a main shaft mounted thereon, a work supporting arm arranged in a vertical plane cutting a vertical plane containing the axis of said shaft at an acute'angle, a feeding mechanism for feeding material along the work supporting arm and off from the end thereof, including an upper feed dog, means for raising and lowering the feed dog, and means for moving said feed (log back and forth, comprising an eccentric member on said main shaft, a lever oscillated thereby, a rock shaft having its axis parallel with the main shaft connected to said lever, a second rock shaft having its axis disposed in a vertical plane at right angles to a vertical plane containing the axis of the first named rock shaft and a link for connecting said second rock shaft to the feed dog.

3; A sewing-machine having a supporting frame, a main shaft mounted thereon, a work supporting arm arranged in a vertical plane cutting a vertical plane containing the axis of said shaft at an acute angle, a feeding mechanism for feeding material along the work supporting arm and off from the end thereof, including an upper feed dog, a feed bar on which said upper feed dog is mounted, an eccentric member on said shaft, a lever having a forked end and enaging said eccentric member, a rock shaft oscillated by said lever, said rock shaft being parallel to the main shaft, a second rock shaft oscillated by the first named rock shaft and having its axis at right angles thereto, a link connecting said second'rock shaft to the feed bar for oscillating the same and imparting feed movements to the feed dog and means for raising and lowering said feed bar.

4. A sewing machine having a frame, a main shaft mounted in the frame, a suspended work supporting arm lying in a vertical 7 plane cutting a vertical plane containing the shaft at an acute angle, a housing carried by the frame and projecting laterally therefrom, a feeding mechanism including an upper feed dog, a feed bar carrying the feed dog, means for pivotally supporting the feed bar at its upper end and for raising and lowering the same, a lever pivoted to the frame, an eccentric on the main shaft for oscillating said lever, a horizontal rock shaft mounted in said laterally projecting housing and connected to said lever, a vertical rock shaft mounted on said housing, and connected to said horizontal rock shaft, a link connecting said vertical rock shaft to said feed bar.

5. A sewing machine having a frame, a main actuating shaft mounted therein, a needle head detachably connected to said frame and an upper feeding mechanism including a feed dog, a feed bar carrying the same and supported by said detachable head,

a vertical rock shaft mounted on said detachable head and connected to the feed bar for imparting feed movements to the feed dog, means actuated by said shaft for oscillating said rock shaft, a second rock shaft mounted on said detachable head, devices actuated thereby for raising and lowering the feed bar and means operated by the main shaft for oscillating said second named rock shaft.

6. A sewing machine having a frame, a main actuating shaft mounted therein, a needle head detachably connected to said frame, a needle bar mounted in said detachable head, a presser bar mounted in said detachable head, a feed bar mounted in said detachable head, means connected to said presser bar and feed bar for alternately raising and lowering the same including a rock shaft mounted on said detachable head, means for moving said feed bar back and forth in-.

cluding a rock shaft mounted on said detachable head.

7. A feeding mechanism for sewing machines comprising a work support, an actuating shaft, an upper feed dog, a feed bar carrying said feed dog, devices actuated by said shaft for imparting back and forth movements to said feed bar, said device including a member oscillating about a vertical axis, a presser bar, a presser foot carried thereby and devices actuated by said shaft for alternately raising and lowering the presser bar and the feed bar. 8. A sewing machine comprising a work support and an overhanging arm, a needle head carried by said overhanging arm, a needle bar mounted therein, a presser bar mounted in said needle head, a presser foot carried thereby, a feed bar mounted on said needle head for bodily vertical movements and for lateral oscillating movements, a feed dog carried thereby, an actuating shaft mounted in said overhanging arm, devices operated by said shaft for alternately raising and lowering said feed bar and said presser bar, and devices operated by said shaft including a member oscillating about a vertical axis for imparting back and forth movements to said feed bar.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

FREDERICK F. ZEIER. 

